Below is an slightly edited and streamlined version of the letter going
to AERC, based on input from several people (and thank you for the
comments).
Wendy Milner makes a good point that we should tell AERC WHAT we want
them to do---withhold sanctioning of the Cosequin ride, vote on the
issue, or just be aware that we are concerned. Since this is an open
letter, I don't want to get too specific. Therefore, I'm putting in a
line just that we want them to be aware of our reservations. If anyone
wants to make specific suggestions (as several have), please post them
to the general list for inclusion with the packet. Charlene Bartholomae
is sending me all the collected posts, so if anyone wants to add their
name to this letter, e-mail me with your name within the next 24 hours
(by Thursday morning).
Also, Wendy makes another good point that private e-mail shouldn't be
sent without specific permission from the original sender. Since I
don't want to get bludgeoned to death someday while out riding
peacefully through the woods, I will post a list of the names on the
posted comments. If I DO NOT get back an e-mail giving me permission to
send it on, it will be omitted from the package. Sorry, don't mean to
make this complicated, but it's a good point.
Finally, it has been noted that several people have volunteered to put
this together---so we're not all spending time in a repeated effort, if
anyone else has already done this, please let me know, otherwise I'll
continue getting this together. But I agree that there should only be
one packet/letter that goes to AERC, so someone let me know if this one
isn't it :-)
Susan Evans
THE NEW AND IMPROVED LETTER (yes, it'll be on real paper with
spell-cheeck and efferthin):->
To the AERC Board of Directors,
As you are undoubtedly aware, many endurance riders subscribe to
the on-line endurance newslist to discuss various isssues. One of the
most recent has been whether or not large cash prizes are a desirable
evolution in endurance riding. This discussion was triggered by the
upcoming Cosequin Challenge, in which $30,000 in cash prizes will
reportedly be awarded. We would like the Board of Directors to be aware
of our serious concerns regarding this issue.
Enclosed please find printouts of some of the comments posted to the
newslist, which are representative of the unusually large and strongly
felt response to this topic. We think you will find that the endurance
community is, as a body, seriously concerned about the implications of
allowing endurance to evolve to this higher plane of competition.
Specifically, we are concerned:
1) Whether ride managers and veterinarians will be able to adequately
control overcompetitiveness and potential abuse of horses,
2) How additional necessary control and protective measures will affect
ride entry fees, membership dues, and administrative costs,
3) Whether endurance will become a "professional" sport akin to other
forms of racing and competition, and
4) Whether "to finish is to win" will become a thing of the past.
Like the membership body, undoubtedly there are members on the AERC
Board of Directors who left the "showring" world for endurance because
we felt the well-being of the horse was and should remain the
paramount priority in competition, and because we disliked the politics
and attitudes of "win at all costs" prevalent in other sports. We think
you will agree that the horse's health has ceased to be of relative
importance in many other forms of equestrian competition when money came
into the picture---to the extent that in some cases, a "cash prize" is
no better than blood money.
We, as members of AERC and the endurance riding community, feel strongly
that our sport remain true to the tenet, "to finish is to
win". We therefore felt it appropriate that you, as our elected
representatives, be made aware of the questions and concerns contained
within the enclosed pages.
Thank you for your attention.
Sincerely,
(list of names)